New York Giants: Analyzing the 2012 Schedule

While the official NFL week-by-week listings won't be available until the end of the month, home and away matchups are known and ready for analysis and discussion.

Because the season is still several weeks away, it's impossible and almost naive to attempt to guess the outcome of every match—there are simply too many unknown factors to try to predict.

What we can do, though, is look at whether the 2012-13 schedule is easier than it was last year for certain teams, and what that will do for their overall chances.

So for the New York Giants, you'll find a complete breakdown of their schedule compared to last year, as well as the three most exciting matches to look forward to in 2012.

Ready? Let's roll.

New York Giants in 2011

Two weeks out from the NFL Playoffs, you wouldn't have been far off pace to suggest that the New York Giants were unlikely to even be there, let alone win the entire thing.

But with their victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, the New York Giants dismissed those claims and rightly justified themselves as the champions.

With playoff wins over the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers and then the New England Patriots, the Giants capped off a six-game winning streak with football's ultimate prize.

New York finished the regular 9-7 with a split record against its division and a losing record against its conference.

2011-12 Schedule

The Giants played their six divisional games last season, finishing with a 3-3 record against the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants fell to Washington twice, but countered this with two wins over the Cowboys and a split series against the Eagles.

Against the NFC West, the Giants also had a split series with wins over the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals matched with losses to the Seattle Seahawks and the narrowest of defeats to the San Francisco 49ers. New York would get its revenge on the Niners, with a three-point overtime win in the NFC Championship Game.

New York also played the entire AFC East in 2011, and changed its season with a 4-0 record against the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. It won three of these matches by just three points; their biggest win coming on the road to the Jets which it won by 15.

The Giants completed their schedule with two games against sides from the NFC North and the NFC South—lucking out to get both divisional heavyweights in the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints. Both games featured high levels of offense, finishing with 73 points each, as the Packers and the Saints outdid the Giants to leave them 0-2 against other teams in 2011.

Scheduling wise, there were definite tough patches, as the Giants played arguably the three toughest offensive packages and the toughest defensive unit in the league throughout the season. Having said that, there were definitely games that New York should have won due to its strength and didn't, making its schedule look tougher than it actually was in reality.

2012-13 Schedule

Again, starting with the obvious, the New York Giants will play their six divisional matches this season against a division that really didn't offer much last year and will surely improve this year. The Dallas Cowboys are too temperamental to mount any serious challenge in the next few years, but both Philadelphia and Washington will vastly improve. The Redskins will have Robert Griffin III under center for them, who will no doubt attempt to turn their offense in to the style that Philly attempts to execute with the dual-threat of Michael Vick.

The Giants will play the entire NFC South in 2012; playing hosts to the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before traveling to the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. The offensive abilities of the division are plentiful, with Drew Brees and the Saints out to cause some pain (pun intended) to the Manning-led Giants. Carolina will benefit from another year under Cam Newton's belt and the Atlanta Falcons will remember the playoff belting they took from the Giants. Add in to that mix the fact that Tampa could well have Trent Richardson, and the NFC South is again a tough division to play against.

New York then goes from offense to defense, as it plays the entire AFC North in 2012. Known for its tough, gritty defensive units, the North is certainly no easy beat of a division, with three sides progressing through to the playoffs last year. The Giants play the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers at home—two matches they should most likely win—but must therefore travel to Baltimore and Cincinnati to try and take down the Ravens and the Bengals.

They will complete their schedule with teams from the NFC North and NFC West and just like last year, the Giants lucked out and drew the two divisional heavyweights. They get to play the Packers at home, where Green Bay won on the final play of the game last year, and the 49ers away, where they won to progress through to the NFC Championship game. Both these sides will be out to exact revenge on the Giants, making for two brilliant football games to watch.

Comparing the strength of schedule

Divisional matches no doubt have to be tougher in 2012. Philadelphia's 'Dream Team' may never have got going last year, and it will desperately want to put in a stronger performance this year, as will the Washington Redskins, who managed to sweep the Giants last year. Keep in mind also that Dallas still very nearly won this division over the Giants, and suddenly the NFC East is no easy-beat. Not by a whole lot, but it's definitely tougher than last year.

Tougher year?  2012.

The NFC South will also bring some tough matches for the Giants, with offensive threats spread right across the four teams. They may not possess the same defensive strength of the NFC West as a whole, but they certainly carry more offensive potency and have the ability to win football games, rather than just hang in them like the NFC West did last year. You've got to say that this year is the tougher year for New York fans.

Tougher year?  2012.

No questions asked, the AFC North is tougher than the AFC East was last season—not just because of their defense strengths but also through their capable offenses. The Bengals, Steelers and Ravens all made the playoffs last year, with the Ravens a dropped pass or a field goal away from the Super Bowl. The AFC East may have had the Patriots, but that was about it. The AFC North has four capable teams who will try and turn their match against the Giants in to a street fight, where anything can happen.

Tougher year?  2012.

Their other matches for 2012 are also no doubt tougher than last year—just do the math. They play the same team in the Green Bay Packers, leaving the San Francisco 49ers against the New Orleans Saints. We saw how that turned out in the playoffs, and keeping in mind the Niners now have stronger receivers in Randy Moss and ex-Giant Mario Manningham, they're an even better side than the one that took down the Saints in the divisional round of the playoffs. Oh yeah, and the Packers will be majorly pissed off. That's not a good thing.

Tougher year?  2012.

Three games to watch

No. 1 — Green Bay Packers at New York Giants

The Packers won this exact same match last year by three points; the Giants won the division round of the playoffs and knocked out the Super Bowl favorites. What's more, they did on Green Bay's turf, and I don't think the Packers took too kindly to that. Good rivalry brewing here, and this one will be fascinating.

No. 2 — New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers

Again, the Niners just won in the regular season, before the Giants won over them in overtime of the NFC Championship game. And were it not for two punting errors, San Francisco could have won that game—and don't they know it. Back at Candlestick Park, this one will be another must-watch game for the Giants this year.

No. 3 — New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens

One of the toughest road trips in the league has to be to the home of the Baltimore Ravens, because you know exactly what you're going to get. Lots of hits, lots of incompletions and lots of defense. I said street fight before when describing this game; I think it's 100 percent right.

Overall

Scheduling-wise, there's no doubt that this year is a far tougher year than last year was for the Giants. They went 9-7 last year against a relatively easy schedule, and 2012 will push them much more than last year ever thought about doing.

I think they've got the toughest schedule in the league to be honest, and if they are to justify themselves again as Super Bowl contenders, then getting through this schedule would do exactly that.

Having said that, the New York Giants are the defending champions and they are therefore the team to catch next year, regardless of any favoritism markets. Every side will be out to stop them, and the Giants will be out to prove them all wrong.

It's going to be some season.

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